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Red Cross on the 2017 Hurricanes

Wednesday, September 20th

00:10:32

Transcript - Not for consumer use. Robot overlords only. Will not be accurate.

Get Mardy has since his eyes on the prize and 46. Worst hurricane season we've seen in decades if not a lifetime it's happening right now Puerto Rico is under assault. Sixty mile an hour winds. Category fight going down to a four right now Puerto Rico directly in the processors of her came Maria. And witness this morning we've got to OJ from the American Red Cross just got back from hurricane relief payment or you. I'm very well thank you know Sammy could thank you so he represented their Rochester buffalo area so we have a large region Kanye West and central New York region around present you know it's basically I tell people from buffalo and Binghamton but Downey's. Communications officer for there and him you know like I said analysts feel like I'm coming home here drop out Wayne county Japanese and buffalo in them. When their twenty years I love coming back that's awesome we're doing what we're town Marriott OK there you're out so you were down for the the hurricane Harvey relief in taxes tracked when Wear you down there when you back I got back com. About a week and a half ago I was down there for a week on so it was about a week after the storm hit on spent a week. Largely in Houston but in the Beaumont area and areas in between there north of Houston also and you know even a week after. It was interesting you know I've I've had the honor of representing the Red Cross six times outside of mine disasters the sex. And a lot of them banned for flooding and I said that was what I saw where Iowa and he didn't see you know and the pictures that were talked about on the key eastern Puerto Rico right now street Bryan I didn't see a lot of them rightly saw a lot of I did see water on the road still outside of Almonte and that again was a week afterwards we were following one of our emergency vehicles emergency response vehicles and into the field they were delivering food and comfort kits and that sort of thing. Directly into some artistic communities we had to stop and turn around got a picture where the only reason you could tell wasn't river was because he could see the slowdown traffic's. Just on your stick on on our great that place. Is it now with all me. Hurricanes after Harvey it's almost liken it sounds horrible but we almost forgot about our throughout the SP fine now. Albeit much more work is there to be done to you in a Florida or after Maria there's a lot of work so you know what. What we were doing and really still are in taxes is is that immediate emergency response so trying to make sure that people have. The safe dry place to stay food and water those real essentials even toiletries comfort kits you know things like toothpaste toothbrushes things right it. When you have to evacuate at a moment's notice your neck and him with the so so on when you donate to the red trucks. Let's say goes. The solid donate to American army now there's only go to American Harvey is a separate fund every time you can absolutely designate to the specific hurricanes what we do an end what we like to tell people is it's the generosity of the public year round and allows us. Think about either Harvey or Irma are really Maria right now right. Those people can't wait they need a place to go immediately write you wait until the storm hit so it's those donations star general disaster relief year round when they allow us to be able to open those types of shelters provide that immediate emergency assistance are really. Same kind of thing here at home after house fire that you may not see in the media or something Shania on the it's just as devastating for that family it's those disaster relief. Donations and allow Austin responding get that relief immediately but then when something this large happens you we absolutely. You know we have donations that. My anymore OK so it. Some people have this idea in their mind and I kinda sometimes do is now when you donate money and my mom where is this really count how much Jones. See oh is gonna get this are the actually is something digital yeah yeah I'm going to get my money that's what I wanna. It absolutely is so network self for the Red Cross were proud to say than an average of 91 cents of every dollar we spend goes directly to rats it's an area so it's okay columns of that and that goes to I I showed a picture when I first got there beaten on the the shelter again and on the six times outside of the region and several here's the big sheltered ever seen in smaller than it had been a few days earlier me 8000 people still in there and I said that is why. Your donations are going to use it's that hot it's the point it Southampton the other it's going on at 9% as the guests at a truck to get down there largely that an I mean there is obviously in over had cards in word 90% volunteers which is why were able to do it's okay talk about there's over thirty people from. Are greater Rochester chapter that have. Deployed as we say none have gone to one of these Turkey on day rely on paid irrationally unpaid. They're volunteers I had to say even as a paid staff member because I am one of that 10% in overwork I guess maybe just. Am I say is yeah. And I didn't even when we deploy and these it's not a requirement it's that's still volunteer basis I that you go acting on there's very very few positions and like shared a very top level that you're kind of required to do those things are really. And last year from Houston or Miami or Puerto Rico and you're part of that region and profiteering I am much faster I really needs is change from that the American Red Cross here you're here and 99 of us. It's been used or the big news stories against nervous sometimes you know you hear all those bad apples NGOs that. Yeah and are now in their spent a lot of you know story but in all of some and in social media's been amazing you know ball good and bad so there's some stories that spread from. That are just not true but they sat Brad you know I can I factual thing so Russians you know stationary Red Cross your. Would you rather have money dollars so you can go out and by we you need orgy one pack of water now and that's its financial donations and help us the most and that's exactly why and I like to say when we want to see bandied like -- to see any sign when we went to. Harvey in the beginning Ernie these other places imagine trying to get a truckload of stuff down there and it's just gonna tie up the traffic calls Danny and. I'll and I were we're all talking. When I heard the hurricane it was between Harvey and Irma. The jurors despise us and CBS. That that had a lady who's in charge of disaster relief certain organization. And how what huge waste it is from people send things. It yeah how lake you know 40000. Bottles of water. Right cost 300 grand to get over to Africa where what is only cost 300 dollars to have a purification machine and that's it. And it also helps you know for us we are able to work with partners and vendors and things like that to get in a massive amounts you know at a discounted rate get it exactly where it needs to go and also helps when you can. To be able to make those purchases from local people when you're there show Arnold how Eric Connie how often running finally come to sell all of those reasons its. Our organization their other and and no one organization can respond to something like this are all the community's needs in general and right right word not equipped we don't have the resources the people the logistics to really. It's sort and ship in stores those types of things in many ways there are other agencies that do that and we will work to make sure we know the people want to help and we will work to make sure that. Those types of donations of clothing driver food drive will work to try to make sure that they get to where they need to go it may not just be the loss on how this technology changing the American Red Cross it's amazing source we talked about social media and it's not only just you know responding to questions there we can use that to help find now. Where there's a need somebody might say hey we have not seen the Red Cross in and this community or we need some help in this community and can see that and in work to a just one of our. My own tears from here essar Perkins from Pittsburgh New York is a what we called and kinda Guerrero for the organization in disaster Sussman OK she. Was one of those thirty volunteers in this regency was in Houston. Since the beginning and rode out the storm and through partners is certainly not something that we buy with through partners they were actually using. Drones and other facilities like that to get up and in in what can be able to see okay this area was. Was hammered yeah you know before we could get our vehicles and narron was going to start to drive drive that kind of thing so we don't have that technology right at least not act in. On our own since the first hurricane Harvey that started on the senate remember this is the first time I've heard of us yen drones and again it was a through I believe the Coast Guard tonight I know with partners like actually usually use the reserves and I'm I'm a German operator damaged. My license and Zora Janelle what do you know. If it is Jolie's yes. Only the Jonas. There's there's arc organization salt drawn up which is all volunteers are certified pilots. That went to Houston offered their services and to me so these guys are all volunteers they came from all over the country getting paid for it right but the years the guys that are actually out there saying hey we're here. So on the I think. And when you when you reach out to other partners to do things specialty like that. I think it's all combined into one and makes makes a better and that's exactly you know we say community disaster takes a community Reese. At hocker you know how about main standout you know Jay is a selfless guy. He's yet in the last six minutes mentioned a website to donate money attacks like donate money and ask for anything in the last six minutes or so that was to get that younger I'd sure solemn. They keep pressing we appreciate that it is some Red Cross out of work. And again you can donate either just the general relief under any of these disasters that are happening right now and I mean call 1800 Red Cross. And you can taxed. Either the work Harvey the work Erma for our general which is the word Red Cross so you know Maria yeah probably have not seen attacks line for that one but definitely our media. Burma or red cross and what's attacks like 9099909. And Angie thank you for the Red Cross does. The Rochester in this region is shots. The beginnings the Red Cross. This is that you don't want to know your yeah Clara Barton founded the American Red Cross first chapter was and and the only York yeah. ET one greater Rochester chapter is chapter number to follow in the country. I'd so there itself proud to represent this thanks for coming in to execute because of today. I'm sure that we're going to be needing to help our Puerto Rican American friends that are going to be what the middle of hurricane Maria so. Keep an eye and the Red Cross site thank you very much appreciate he has any kind of buzz sentencing.